The lowdown: The Solitude headphones' credentials sounded impeccable. These are serious headphones from North Carolina's Outside the Boxand were designed by a commercial pilot who knew travelers needed peace during a flight.

The headphones weigh a mere 8 ounces but are far from inconspicuous. They jut out almost 2 inches from each ear. But the cushioning is soft, the headphones fold up into a 4-square-inch ball, and they come with a protective fabric case. They run on two AAA batteries that last 35 hours.

To turn on the sound-cancellation feature, flip the switch behind the left earmuff. Plug them into an MP3 player or just wear them to tone down background sound.

Verdict: I start with my iPod and use its white headphones for a comparison. Meh. I switch to the Solitude headphones. Much better, but the sound is not as deep and rich as I had expected. The sound is a bit muffled. And $200 for this? No way! But I admit, sound quality isn't my strong point. So I asked Matt Degen, the resident audio aficionado and Register game reviewer, to try them out.

He was not impressed.

Sound quality was nothing to write home about, he said.

"I don't get the 'lively' feel from them that I do with higher-end phones, or even midrange studio ones, such as my Sony MDR-V6 monitors. The Solitudes sound sedated in comparison. Music is better when the noise canceling is turned on but is hardly audiophile-grade. I'd take my $15 Sennheiser MX-500 earbuds over these for everyday use."

The Sony MDR-V6 is also half the price.

But sound quality wasn't what the Solitude folks were bragging about. It was noise cancellation. I turned the feature on, and the background noise was lower, though I could still hear the TV in the other room and the motorcycle racing down the street.

Degen said the "white noise" emitted to cover outside noises sounds like you're on an airplane. Worse, he said, "It doesn't even dramatically cut down outside noise."

I trust Degen. He owns 10 headphones and recommends Bose over the Solitude. If you want to go better than Bose, try Shure's E Series line of canal phones (E2, E3, E4 or E5). They use "passive" noise canceling, meaning they simply go deep in the ear and act as an earplug - no need for electronic noise reversal system - and in so doing block out 30 to 37 decibels of outside noise.

"The $199 E3s I have rival my best studio headphones. They are now what I use for most critical listening, and on planes they are simply marvelous," Degen said.

His verdict: One redeeming feature of the Solitudes is that they fold in half, which saves some space, and come with a nice carrying pouch. But still, the Shure E Series are a fraction of the size and coil up into tiny carrying cases that fit it in the smallest of pockets. Degen said there is no way he'd spend $199 on the Solitudes.

User Agreement

Keep it civil and stay on topic. No profanity, vulgarity, racial
slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about
tragedies will be blocked. By posting your comment, you agree to
allow Orange County Register Communications, Inc. the right to
republish your name and comment in additional Register publications
without any notification or payment.